One Hundred and Seventeen
by egor11572
Summary: Ron and Hermione have their one hundred and seventeenth fight of the year over a letter to Krum. When Ron reads the letter, what will he find? RWHG. [ONESHOT]


**Disclaimer: **I don't own Harry Potter, nor am I making any profit from J.K. Rowling's masterpiece. Don't sue me ; )

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**One Hundred and Seventeen**

"And where might you be going with that?"  A disgruntled sixth year by the name of Ronald Weasley was on the verge of turning purple with anger in the Gryffindor common room.

It was a dark night at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  Outside the ancient and magnificent windows the stars were shining brightly, but inside, tempers were rising.

"Honestly, Ron!  What does it matter where I'm going with my letter?"  Hermione Granger screamed back; a remarkable vein, unseen save her extreme fits of anger had begun to emerge from her neck.

"Well, the least you could do is tell me who in hell you'd be writing to?"  Hermione shot him a look of pure detestation as the portrait of the Fat Lady swung open and Harry, Dean, and Neville walked into the common room.

"Mate, we're going upstairs," Dean said, his eyes widening at the site of Ron and Hermione unleashing their anger upon each other for the hundred and seventeenth time this year.  (It was decided a tally was to be kept, counting the fights between them that occurred in the common room.)  "Not going to get involved in this one," Dean said with a shrug.

"Er…I'm going too," Neville said to Harry meekly, following Dean up the stairs to the dormitories.  Harry just stared at Ron, who was positively twitching in anger, and Hermione, who looked on the verge of tears.

Turning swiftly to follow both Dean and Neville up the stairs, as Harry's resolution for the school year had been to stay out of Ron and Hermione's constant bickering, he slammed into Ginny, bumping his head on her own.

It seemed, however, that neither Hermione nor Ron had noticed that both Harry and Ginny were on the floor behind a couch, each holding a throbbing head and grumbling quietly.

"Ron, you're acting like an absolute prat!  My post is my business and no one else's," Hermione shouted, starting towards the opening of the common room.

Harry put a finger to his lips and motioned to Ginny.

"Honestly," she said sarcastically, "They're too preoccupied to even notice us," she told him.  "Don't worry about being quiet."

"It is my business if you are owling HIM!"

Hermione surveyed him intently.  "And who might that be?" she asked quietly.

"You know who that is," Ron yelled, his face turning red.  "I don't need to bloody tell you!"

Hermione sighed and continued walking, but Ron blocked her path.  "Honestly, Ron, you're acting ridiculous.  You shouldn't be concerned with my correspondence with anyone."

"I have a lot of concern when you're owling ruddy Krum!" He said, his voice going unnaturally high when he spoke Krum's name.

Harry sighed, then turned to Ginny.  "This is the third row this week on Krum alone."

"It's amazing they haven't found something else to fight about," Ginny said, turning to see a red-faced Ron and Hermione still shouting at each other.

"We shouldn't be listening," Harry said quietly.  "It could…I mean…" he stopped, glancing back at the two friends, quite sure they were destined for more.

"Honestly, Harry, what makes you think it could end this time?  The two of them are much too bigheaded to let it out," she said matter-of-factly.  "It'll take another couple of years at the least."

Harry smothered a laugh at her words.  Ron and Hermione had been fighting since the day they met, and although everyone around suspected their true feelings, they still refused to see each other as anything but bickering friends.

"I've told you hundreds of times," Hermione said indignantly, "Viktor is just a friend, and we haven't anything going on between us.  And even if we did, you have no right to get involved!"

"If you haven't got anything going on, why in hell are you constantly owling him?"

"That's absolutely none of your business," Hermione snapped, clenching the parchment all the more tighter in her white fingers.

"Well you said you haven't got a thing going on between you two.  That means that you shouldn't be owling him!"

"Ron, Viktor and I are friends!"

"You can't be friends with a rich and famous Quidditch Seeker," he told her angrily.  "Things like that don't happen to normal witches and wizards!"

"I manage a bit more than you might think, Ron."

"Well, it's for your own safety.  Krum wouldn't be owling you unless he wanted a bit more than your friendship," he said knowingly.

"You don't even know Viktor," Hermione shouted.  "What could possibly make you say that?"

"He's famous!  He has his pick of anyone!  And, as smart as you are, you don't understand the way the minds of young men work."

Hermione just stared at him, Ginny and Harry aware that if it were physically possible for Hermione to have smoke released from her ears; this would be the appropriate time for it.  They had to hold back their snickers from behind the couch.

"I take it Hermione knows a bit more than she puts on," Harry said to Ginny, turning to peek over the couch at them once again.

"I DON'T UNDERSTAND MEN?" Hermione shouted indignantly.  "You don't know the first thing about women, Ronald Weasley."

"Oh, I know all I bloody have to!"  Hermione sighed.

"Then what's in my letter?"

"That has nothing to do with it!" 

"Well, if you knew all about women, you'd know what I was writing about, wouldn't you?"

Ron sputtered at her, not knowing what to say.

"Well…If _YOU_ would let me read the letter, then I'd know what was in it, wouldn't I?"  Hermione snorted at him.

"If you know all about women, would you need to read it, Ron?"

Ron just stared at her.

"_Is_ that a letter to Krum?" he asked urgently, lowering his voice.

"And what if it wasn't?  Hermione said, her voice shaking, "After this whole row, what if it wasn't?"

"Er…I'd feel like a bit of an idiot," Ron said quietly.

"Well, then, fine," Hermione said, trying to rush past him out the portrait hole once more.  "You deserve it, because you're acting like one."

Ron, however, once again, refused to move, but Hermione pushed on him and he stumbled backwards.  "Oh RON!  Just get out of the way!"

"I won't move," he said stubbornly.  "I'm not going to let you get hurt by Krum!"

"IS THAT WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT?  Now you care about my feelings?"

"Honestly, Harry, she can be a bit piercing at times."  Harry turned around to see Seamus, Dean, and Neville huddled behind the couch, Seamus smiling crookedly.

"I thought you went upstairs to get away from this."

"Yes, but then we figured it was a record," Dean said excitedly, a huge grin plastered on his face, "You see, we've seen each and every row they've had, all one hundred and seventeen of them!"

Ginny stifled a snicker.   "One hundred and seventeen already?  I haven't checked the tally in ages!"

"I expected it to be a bit more," Seamus said.  "After all, it's only February."

The four boys and Ginny let out muffled laughter again, but once more, neither Hermione nor Ron took notice.

"I've always cared about your feelings," Ron said, sounding a bit hurt.

Ginny, Harry, Neville, Seamus and Dean all went very quiet.

"You?  You care about _my_ feelings?" Hermione shrieked, causing the five friends to let out a unanimous sigh.  Once again, Hermione and Ron had sidestepped the topic everyone in the Gryffindor house wished they could just resolve once and for all.  "If you cared about me even the slightest, you'd let me send my letter to Viktor and be done with it.  If you cared, you wouldn't have started a row with me for the-" Hermione paused and checked the tally scribbled in fluorescent purple ink, hanging on the bulletin board, "One hundred and seventeenth time this year."

Ron looked flabbergasted.  "That's just- You just missed the point!" He shouted back at her.

"Can someone just put a Silencing Charm on the common room once and for all?" came an urgent whisper to the five behind the couch.

"Honestly, how are we supposed to get an inch of studying done," came another voice.

Harry, Ginny, Seamus, Neville, and Dean turned to see Parvati and Lavendar inching over to them on their knees.

"Didn't know you lot did any studying," Dean said comically, and Parvati sent him a dirty look.

"What kind of a comment is that?" Parvati asked accusingly.

"Er…" Dean stopped when he heard Hermione's shrieking.

"Ron, I can't stand it anymore!  Just read the stupid letter if that's what you want, and leave me alone.  I've got an awful lot of studying to do, and I can't be wasting time like this!"  She threw the roll of parchment at him (slamming him in the eye, no less) and started to cry.

Ginny gasped, and everyone turned to her, eyebrows arched.

"What?" Seamus and Neville said together.

"That letter," Ginny said, still momentarily shocked

"What about the letter?" Parvati and Lavender squealed.  "What did it say?"

Ginny sighed again.  "Krum's always liked Hermione, but this year she told him she liked Ron, and he's been giving her advice ever since."

"Advice?" Parvati asked.

"She could've asked us," Lavender said arrogantly.  "I think we know a bit more about dating boys than Krum does."

"What d'you mean advice?" Harry asked, disregarding Lavender's comment.

"I mean she's been asking him what to do, and he's been helping her out.  The fighting with Ron has been killing her lately."

"I suppose one hundred seventeen fights are too much?" Seamus asked.

Harry ignored him.  "And Krum isn't jealous?" Harry asked, astonished.

"I suppose he is, but he wants her to be happy."

"It's always possible he doesn't like her anymore," Parvati ventured.

"Oh shut it," Harry said, turning back toward Ron, who was standing, staring at the letter in his hands, Hermione starting to cry in front of him.

"Go ahead, read the letter!"

"I don't want to read your letter!" Ron shouted.

Hermione smirked through her tears.  "You did about five minutes ago!"

Ron looked upset.  "Well…I…er…"

"Oh, just take the letter and be done with it!  I'll be upstairs."  Narrowly missing Parvati's foot, Hermione stumbled up the stairs to the dormitories.

Neville, Harry, Ginny, Dean, Seamus, Parvati, and Lavender didn't breathe, didn't move a hair.  The parchment in Ron's hands rustled.

Finally, Ginny whispered into Harry's ear, "You think he'll read it?"

Harry just stared at her, bewildered.

"Dear Viktor," they heard Ron's voice, and the seven behind the couch stopped any and all motion once more.

"Thanks for all your help in your last letter.  I honestly don't know what to do.  He just- wait, who?"  Ron scanned the letter, his hands shaking, but then decided to continue reading.  "He just doesn't seem to understand, and it drives me mad some nights.  We've been fighting constantly, and I- Wait!  HERMIONE!!" Ron bellowed, and Hermione peeked out from atop of the stairs, her brown eyes glistening with what Ron had finally recognized as tears.  He scratched the back of his neck embarrassedly and stared at her.

"What?" she asked meekly.  Harry noticed that Ginny was digging her fingernails into his arm, and tried without luck to pry her off of him.  When he finally removed one of her nails, Harry realized had a deep pink nick in his arm, property of his best friend's sister.

"Er…Hermione…Er…I…" He blushed deeply, then beckoned her to come towards him.  She tiptoed down the steps timidly, not meeting his eyes.

"Yes, Ron," she said bravely, mustering up her courage and staring him straight in the face.  Ron, looking embarrassed, seemed to have found something quite interesting on the spotless common room floor.

"I…Hermione?"

"What, Ron?  I've haven't been lying when I've said I've got a lot of homework to do-" She stopped when she saw that his hands were trembling, still tightly clutching the parchment that contained her letter to Krum.

"Is this…I mean…Did you…er…Isthisboutme?"

"Ron, I can't understand you if you speak-"

Ron lowered his voice and interrupted her.  "Is this about me?"

Parvati and Lavender, seeing that the climax of the night had been found, both took the opportunity to gasp openly, and then clap their hands upon their gossiping mouths.

Harry looked at Neville, who was turning purple, and Dean and Seamus who seemed desperate to conceal hippogriff-sized laughter desperate to erupt from their mouths.

Hermione gaped at Ron, shocked that he would ever be so bold in such a situation.

"Why…I…It's…"  She looked at him, noticing that he did not seem upset, angry, or disgusted; quite contrary to what she had expected if she had ever told him herself.  In fact, he honestly looked shocked, possibly a bit puzzled at her feelings towards him.

"Is it?" he whispered.  All she could do was nod, and he met her with silence.

Ginny and Harry met each other's bulging eyes, still holding their breath.  Something was going to happen out of this confrontation, and they felt thoroughly sorry to be witnessing it.

"It is?" he asked quietly.

"Why…yes, actually," Hermione said, silently cursing herself for appearing like a dolt.

"How come you didn't tell me sooner?" he wondered.

"I wasn't planning on telling you at all," she told him truthfully.

"So then, how come you gave me the letter?"

Hermione sighed.  "I couldn't take it anymore," she whispered, then stared at him, still trying to figure out his feelings on the subject. His expression was impossible to read, even for Hogwarts' most promising student.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" he repeated.

"I didn't think you'd feel the same way," she told him, then suddenly felt angry.  Hermione was hardly ever embarrassed, but this whole situation was making her extremely uncomfortable.  "Ron, it's obvious that you don't want-  I'll just-"  She turned on her heel, wanting to go upstairs and wet a pillow with her tears, or perhaps talk to Ginny.

"I never said I didn't," Ron said quietly, putting a shaking arm on her shoulder to stop her.  She stopped quite rapidly, then slowly rotated around to face him.

"What?"

"I said…" he stamped his foot, "Oh, you heard what I said."

"I did, but…" She stopped.  "I also heard what you didn't say."

Ron looked confused.  "Oh, it's obvious," she told him, "I know I'm not half as pretty as most of the girls here, and I know that's all you care about, Ron.  I'm not an idiot."

"I didn't-" Ron sputtered, "Gosh, Hermione, What're you talking about?"

"I-"  Hermione stopped, in an utter state of astonishment as she suddenly felt his lips pressed hard against hers.  Neither of them noticed seven pairs of eyes slowly come up and stare at them from the other side of the couch.

Ron pulled away from Hermione and looked at her, his eyes wide with what looked remarkably like fear.

"You're sure it was me in that letter?" He asked her urgently.

She looked taken aback.  "What kind of a question is that?"

"Well…er…" he scratched his neck nervously, "You didn't exactly seem to want that kiss."

"I'm…I'm sorry," she said, and began to laugh nervously.  "It was a bit out of the ordinary, actually."

Ron stared at Hermione once more.  "You think…er…we could try it again?" he whispered, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.  She smiled and placed her arms around his neck as he tilted her chin up and kissed her soundly.  His lips were sweet and warm against her own, and she wondered whether she'd ever felt pleasure like that before.  It swam all the way down to the tips of her toes and fingers, and when they pulled away, all either of them could do was smile.

By now, Parvati and Lavender were eyeing Ron and Hermione with great interest, their eyes shining, Seamus and Dean were standing up, keeling over from silent laughter, Neville was staring at the pair in obvious shock, and Harry and Ginny were absolutely openmouthed at them, shocked that they had finally resolved it.

"Aww…How cute…" Parvati and Lavender cooed.

Hermione and Ron turned to the seven, and Ron immediately let go of Hermione's face, and she removed her hands from his back.  They each took four steps back from the other, and Ron's ears turned bright red.

"Well, it's about time," Harry said happily, and Ginny laughed.

"About time for what?" Hermione snapped.  "We weren't doing anything!"

"We saw it all," Dean assured them.  "Very romantic snogging session, if I do say so myself."  Ron's face turned an odd color, an obvious sign of his mortification.

"Hermione, don't deny it," Ginny advised calmly.  "We've been waiting for it to happen for ages."

"Why is that? Ron asked, enraged that his sister had seen their kiss.

"Because we knew it was going to happen," Parvati and Lavender said happily.  "Ever since first year…"

"You…You knew?  All of you?"

"Well, Ginny knew ages ago," said Hermione, "I needed advice and-"

"You told my sister?"

"Goodness, Ron, of course she did.  I had to reassure her it was perfectly all right to like a prat like you."

"How come you didn't tell me?" Ron said, sounding hurt.  Hermione, Ginny, Lavender, and Parvati snorted.  "All right, I know I haven't got a lick of sense, but I think I did all right tonight," he said proudly, stepping closer to Hermione and putting an arm around her.

"Yes, but first you made her cry, and you tried to read her mail, and-" Ginny stopped when she saw the look on her brother's face.

"All right, herd out," he said, holding back the tremendous urge to hit his sister in the face, "You've seen it all, honestly, get out-" He started pushing Harry, Ginny, Parvati, Lavender, Dean, Seamus, and Neville towards the stairs.  "You lot," he shouted, "Out- I'd like to talk to Hermione alone."

Grumbling, the seven exited up the stairs, leaving the common room empty except for an embarrassed Ron and Hermione.  Ron took her hands in his own and just looked at her for a moment.

"I never told you I liked you back," Ron said suddenly.

"I sort of figured that you might," Hermione said with a hint of a smile.

"D'you think…I mean…Since they aren't here…"  Hermione stood on her tiptoes and kissed him sweetly.

"I've liked you for ages," he whispered.  "I never thought to do anything about it because I figured you'd be an idiot to like me back."  She snorted.

"I suppose I am a bit of an idiot," she offered.

"But you're smart in everything else," he said, "It makes up for it."  She grinned at him.  "I'm sorry for…er…everything Ginny said, you know."

"I know.  It's all right."

"Er…" Ron looked like he wanted to say something important, but then stopped himself.

"What?" Hermione said, clutching his hands.

"What did Krum say…You know, in your letters to him?"

Hermione laughed.  "He said he felt sure you'd come around, after the Yule Ball and all."

Ron turned pink.  "Was it that obvious?"  Hermione snorted.  "I'll take that as a yes."

They were quiet for a moment, neither noticing the cooing and whispers from their seven friends on the landing to the dormitories.  Ron began to gurgle something under his breath.  

"You'll have to speak up for me to understand," Hermione lectured.

"Did you…er…ever like him?"

"Who? Oh…Viktor?"  She shrugged.  "A bit."

"WHAT?  YOU FANCIED KRUM?" Ron looked enraged, and Hermione grinned at him.  Realizing a bit late that she had been joking, he watched as Hermione went over to the bulletin board and ripped the parchment with their housemate's tally in purple ink off the wall.

"Oh Ron, let's not make that one-hundred and eighteen."

[ THE END ]

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**Author's Note:** I hope you enjoyed my fluffy fic.  I thought it was cute.  Okay, so if you enjoyed it, please take a look at my other Harry Potter fanfiction.  I have another R/Hr short fic, and I have a longer story about Snape.  Thanks for reading, please leave a review. ;)


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